A Book A Week

"Nothing mattered but the stories, my understanding of them, how the stories affected me, and the dreams the story ignited."

The year is 2015, and Tatum feels settled in life for perhaps the first time. She lives in Chile with her partner Vera and works at her dream job in an art museum. It's a stark contrast to the life she once thought she wanted. Tatum spent the previous decade in New York, believing all her dreams would come true, but now she has doubts. Much of that time was consumed by her admiration for acclaimed author M. Domínguez, whose novel Happiness captivated her with its portrayal of the Latinx experience. It was the first time she felt represented in literature, prompting her to write a heartfelt fan email to the author. To her surprise, he responded, sparking a decade-long relationship that Tatum still doesn't fully comprehend.

Their bond was complex—sometimes a friendship, sometimes a romantic entanglement, a mentor-student dynamic that defies any simple definition. When a reporter contacts Tatum about multiple assault allegations against M., her carefully constructed separation between her past and present begins to unravel. She is forced to confront the true nature of her all-consuming relationship with the author. The questions and uncertainties she had pushed aside resurface, challenging her understanding of the past decade and compelling her to reevaluate the impact M. had on her life.

In her debut novel Like Happiness, author Ursula Villarreal-Moura invites readers to delve into the intricacies of relationships, power dynamics, sexuality, identity, and memory. The story unfolds through a dual narrative, alternating between Tatum's present day and a letter she writes to M., recounting and reclaiming their complex relationship. This structure reflects the protagonist's struggle with her past, emphasizing the back-and-forth and uncertainty she faces. Villarreal-Moura doesn't provide easy answers or steer readers in a specific direction; instead, she infuses her characters with raw emotion, making them relatable even when their situations are far from straightforward.

I loved reading a novel where the main character grew up in the same city as I did. San Antonio will always be home to me, and Villarreal-Moura beautifully captures the people, places, and history that make it unique. There is a profound sense of humanity throughout Like Happiness, allowing readers to easily immerse themselves in the story and reflect on its themes. With this debut, Villarreal-Moura establishes herself as a distinct voice in literature, leaving me eager to read more of her work. Like Happiness is one of the best novels I've read this year, and I'm grateful to the publisher for providing me with a copy.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 46)

 "Why is it always our mistakes that linger in our memory?"

How many books have you read this year? I'm wrapping up my ninth year of reading a book each week, and am reflecting on how many incredible titles I've had the pleasure of reading over the years. Blogging and reviewing books has introduced me to a wider variety of genres and authors, making me a much more well-rounded reader. This year, I finished my goal of reading 52 books a bit early. Somehow I managed to read more than a book a week, ending with a holiday-themed read that did little to capture the magic of the season.  Not wanting to end the reading year on a negative note, I decided to pick up Olaf Olafsson's The Sacrament for one final read of the year. 

Sister Johanna Marie has been sent by the Catholic Church to Iceland to investigate claims of abuse against two school-aged boys. The young nun is fluent in Icelandic, but beyond speaking the language she has no real background in investigating matters as serious as this one. As Sister Johanna Marie begins her inquiry into the serious claims of abuse, she quickly feels as if she is in over her head. You may ask why the church would send someone so ill-equipped to handle this situation. Indeed, even the nun has her own doubts about the process. It almost seems as if the church has sent her there precisely because she is unable to fully investigate the alleged crimes that have occurred. Perhaps there is truth to that assertion. Perhaps some sins are better left buried. 

Twenty years later, the same nun is sent to the same place to speak to the same young man she spoke to before. Both parties have aged into their wisdom, and the boy turned man has decided to alter his original testimony. Sister Johanna Marie begrudgingly accepts the assignment to relive that time. You see, the sister has a secret of her own, one that goes completely against the teaching of the church that she's devoted her life to. As she embarks on the journey of coming to terms with the sins of her institution, she must also come to terms with the sins that she's committed. She is about to discover that forgiveness is not something judicially divided. Some sins are simply more unacceptable than others. 

The Sacrament is a remarkable work of fiction that balances a gripping literary mystery with quiet contemplations on religion and sin. Olaf Olafsson writes with assured minimalism that perfectly captures the essence of both the sprawling Icelandic landscape and the introspective character beats. The internal turmoil of the characters is as captivating as the larger claims of abuse within the church. These conflicts play out in tandem as Olafsson switches between past and present, driving his story toward a spellbinding conclusion. I couldn't help but fall into the trance of this book's words, the pages ever turning as I followed the lives of both the nun investigating the crimes and the alleged victims. The Sacrament will haunt me long after I've finished my review. It was the perfect way to wrap up a fantastic year of reading. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2021, 53)

As the title would suggest, there is extreme loyalty amongst the members of the Ludlow family. Loyalty to themselves, each other, and most importantly to their father, Carl. But this loyalty goes far beyond the ties of family. Besides being their father, Carl is also their boss. He heads a high-powered law firm where each of his children work. His three sons all partners at the firm, follow a strict diet, religious exercise routine, and do everything in their power to keep their father happy. Fina, the sole surviving daughter of the family, could not be more different. She never did the law school thing, opting instead to apprentice with the firm's private investigator. Now, as the lead investigator for the firm, she brings her irreverent spontaneity to everything she does. To be clear, she still has a strong loyalty to her family, but she definitely has her own unique way of showing it.

The family is rocked when Melanie, the wife of brother Rand Ludlow goes missing. This isn't the first time this has happened. In fact, there has always been tension between Rand, Melanie, and their teenage daughter Haley, but this time things are different. Following an argument with her husband at their daughter's school the day before, she is literally nowhere to be found. Even worse for the family, all evidence points to Rand as being responsible for her disappearance. Rand is no stranger to minor run ins with the law, but he insists that he had nothing to do with this. With the police, who naturally have a frayed relationship with the family of lawyers to begin with, begin investigating Rand, Carl tasks Fina with getting to the bottom of things.

In Fina, author Ingrid Thoft has imagined a fireball of a character who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty to find the truth. As she investigates, she is forced to battle her own emotions and decide whether to place her loyalty in her own sense of moral justice, or in the family that she has devoted her life to. Reminiscent of an early Kay Scarpetta or Stephanie Plum, Fina is the kind of strong, endearing female character that you can't help but root for. In addition to the suspenseful mystery, Thoft involves Fina in an unconventional love triangle that gives us glimpses into her sympathetic if not a little bit twisted psyche. The mystery of itself does become a bit predictable towards the end, but the fun is in witnessing this entertaining character discover the secrets. With Loyalty, her debut novel, Ingrid Thoft has quickly established her place in crime fiction through her strong characters, suspenseful pacing, and charming wit.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2013: week 32, book 31)